December 3, 2024 In Newsroom By WACSI
Ghana’s Civil Society Tackles Digital Threats Head-on with WACSI/Mott Programme
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(Accra, Ghana, November 8, 2024) – Civil society organisations (CSOs) in Ghana are bolstering their defences against cyber threats following their participation in a groundbreaking digital security programme funded by the Mott Foundation and implemented by the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI).
The programme which included a digital security training held in February 2024, was in response to a worrying trend uncovered by a 2023 report on CSOs digital security in West Africa, commissioned by WACSI with funding from the Mott Foundation.
The report ‘Landscape Mapping of Civil Society Digital Security in West Africa’, revealed that 31% of CSOs in the region experienced cyberattacks last year, with some organisations repeatedly targeted.
“Many organisations were unaware of how vulnerable they were to digital threats,” it noted.
Between November 4 and 8, WACSI visited four CSOs in the country that benefited from the training —Royal Africa Generational Thinkers (RAGeT-AFRICA), Act for Change, Send Ghana, and Vulnerable Aid Organisation—to document how they have adapted following their participation.
At RAGeT-AFRICA, a youth-focused organisation, digital security measures like two-factor authentication and phishing awareness have become standard practice. During the recent #stopgalamsey protest, these steps proved critical.
“The training helped us stay invisible to those trying to track us online,” said co-founder Christopher Wisdom Denu. “It was a game-changer for our activism.”
𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘗𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘞𝘈𝘊𝘚𝘐 (𝘒𝘸𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘈𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦, 𝘛𝘦𝘤𝘩 𝘖𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘳 & 𝘕𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘒𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘢𝘮 𝘒𝘶𝘴𝘪, 𝘒𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘖𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘳) 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘈𝘎𝘦𝘛-𝘈𝘍𝘙𝘐𝘊𝘈 (𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘺 & 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘞𝘪𝘴𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘋𝘦𝘯𝘶)
Act for Change, an organisation using interactive theatre to empower youth, passed on the knowledge to 50 volunteers and staff. “Now, our team can easily identify phishing emails and avoid falling victim to scams,” said Programmes Manager Samuel Lamptey.
𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘗𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘞𝘈𝘊𝘚𝘐 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘤𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴
At Send Ghana, known for its work on social accountability, the shift has been cultural. “We’ve gone from overlooking digital security to making it part of our daily routine,” a staff member noted.
𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘗𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘞𝘈𝘊𝘚𝘐 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘎𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘢
The Vulnerable Aid Organisation has also embedded safer practices into its work. “We’ve stopped clicking on suspicious links without double-checking,” said Laari Nangpukin, a representative.
𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘗𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘞𝘈𝘊𝘚𝘐 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘝𝘶𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘈𝘪𝘥 𝘖𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯
The training also inspired collective action. A new Community of Practice (CoP), led by Act for Change, is helping organisations collaborate on solutions. In October, the CoP hosted a forum on youth digital inclusion, addressing issues like limited access to secure online tools.
“The CoP is more than a network; it’s a space to share, learn, and grow together,” said Lamptey.
Group Picture from CoP convening
The initiative, funded by the Mott Foundation, aims to make civil society across West Africa more resilient. By equipping CSOs with practical tools and fostering collaboration, WACSI is tackling a growing problem in an increasingly digital world.
“These organisations are showing what’s possible when you invest in capacity building,” said Osei. “They are now better prepared to navigate the risks and continue their important work.”
As digital threats grow more sophisticated, Ghana’s CSOs are proving that with the right training and partnerships, resilience is within reach.
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